I must admit that my very first visit to this city was due to my love of Aerosmith. This is where it all began, this is where the “Bad Boys of Boston” (as they are also known), got their start and launched their amazing career. From their humble beginnings of all living together in a small apartment on Commonwealth until today, where they still have roots… Boston has always played an important part of their history and is near and dear to each band member’s heart. Here are a few reasons that it is near and dear to ours:
Boston is known as a walking city, in fact it’s much easier to get around on foot than by car – the traffic is CRAZY! We love this city, it’s kind of like a mini version of New York to us. And if your legs get tired, there’s always the “T” (Boston’s subway system), which is fairly easy to navigate, trust me – if Mama Bug can figure it out – you can figure it out!
The Freedom Trail
This is a 2.5 mile path throughout the city that is lined in red. (Baby Bug calls it the “red bricked road”, instead of the yellow bricked road in Wizard of Oz, lol). Honestly, both of the Lucky Bugs are not super knowledgeable on U.S. history but it’s hard to not be at least a little interested in the 16 historically significant sites that the Freedom Trail takes you by. There are public walking tours, or you can go at your own pace with an audio tour.
The North End
This is definitely one of our favourite neighbourhoods. It’s sometimes known as Little Italy and is well known for it’s fantastic Italian restaurants and pastry shops. Tip: if you’re looking for dinner – go early, these little restaurants get huge line ups and if you’re looking for a cannoli or pastry try Mikes’s or Modern Pastry (across the street from each other on Hanover St. and usually a line up just to get in).
Also located in the North End is the Old North Church, a National Historic Landmark and is where lanterns were hung in 1775 to signal which way the British were coming, “One if by land, and two if by sea.”
The Public Garden
A beautiful park in the centre of the city, here are 3 fun things to do:
go for a ride on the Swanboats – this peaceful ride lasts about 10 or 15 minutes and the cost is $3.50 for adults and $2.00 for kids. The Swanboats usually operate mid April to mid September.
A “Bug” on a Duck – these adorable little bronze monuments represent the award winning children’s book, Make Way for Ducklings, which is set in Boston Public Garden. This book was published in 1941 and is still popular today.
You can see how pretty the Public Garden is, (and how much fun it is to feed the real ducks!
Quincy Market
Right in the downtown area of the city, this market has almost anything you can think of to eat. It usually takes “The Bugs” at least 2 laps from front to back to make a decision,
Faneuil Hall
This marketplace full of little booths and shops is located right across from Quincy Market, and there are often several different types of street performers right outside to enjoy.
Newbury Street
Mama Bug and Baby Bug usually know the best places to shop till you drop in a city, and there is no shortage of shopping in Boston. There’s the Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall district, Downtown Crossing, The Prudential Centre/ Copley Place and more, however our favourite place to hit for some retail therapy is Newbury Street. Here you will find hundreds of shops, galleries, restaurants and cafes located in beautiful brownstones.
A little bit hard to see from the picture, but Newbury St. has something for everyone. It is a charming and lively street definitely worth a visit, whether you’re in shopping mode or just want to take a break at a cafe and do some people watching.
Cheers
While in the neighbourhood of the Public Garden, you might want to visit Cheers (Beacon Hill). This was the building they used when showing the outside of the bar on the hit t.v. series. There is a bar downstairs but it is nothing like the one on the show. We ate lunch there a number of years ago and the food was really good. If you’re interested in seeing a replica of what the inside of the t.v. version of Cheers looks like, Cheers (Faneuil Hall) is where you need to be.
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a series of pretty little parks that run along Boston’s waterfront, making a path that runs from the Chinatown neighbourhood to the North End. There are sculptures, fountains and even a carousel to enjoy. Baby Bug loved splashing in the fountains on a hot summer day.
Fenway Park
Mama Bug and Baby Bug are definitely not sports fans, however a visit to Boston would not be complete without a stop at Fenway Park (America’s oldest ball park). Wow, what a buzz when walking around on game day – a definite contagious energy – even in the rain. Next time we’ll be doing a tour (variety of different ones are offered year round).
“DON’T WANNA MISS A THINGS:”
- New England Aquarium – great aquarium located right at the waterfront at Long Wharf
- a tour of Harvard / aka “Hahvahd” (disclaimer: I am in no way making fun of the Boston accent – quite the opposite- we LOVE it!) – take a short ride on the “T” to Cambridge, and walk around Harvard Square or do a guided tour of the campus
- JFK Library & Museum – another short ride on the “T” to the JFK/UMass stop. This place is full of exhibits and memorabilia. Mama Bug could have spent all day here (but not one of Baby Bug’s “top ten”, lol)
- Legal Seafoods – there are so many amazing restaurants in Boston, but if you love seafood – this one is always one of our favourites. There are 4 locations throughout the city.
